When the Past Comes Knocking

Twilight/X-Men

The moon shone down through a broken gap in the clouds as Isabella trudged up the stairs tiredly, her feet thumping on the weeping old stairs causing them to groan. The house was hers originally, given to her friend when he had married and now had just returned; needing a place that was quiet and well, she had work.

“Isabella, it is good to see you again!” Charlie calls from the door, his eyes alight with joy as he took in his friend. “You still look as young as ever I see.”

At the sound of Charlie’s voice, Isabella dropped the bags on the porch and laughed all the while pulling him in for a hug.

“And you have aged well my friend, I am sorry to hear about Renee.” Isa states as she pulled back and gave him a glance over. He had aged a good fifteen years and had started to gather grey hairs around his temples, no longer did he look like the little boy she had helped raised or the young man madly in love.

Chuckling, Charlie just cast a smile. “All is well, now come in side and tell me the real reason as to why you are here. You said you found a job teaching History at the high school but why now?”

She grimaced and cast a look around before grasping Charlie’s arm and popping them inside, her eyes scanned basement quickly before throwing up a soundproof shield and popped onto the couch. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she thought over everything, a war was beginning and someone was looking for her, no that wasn’t entirely true… a lot of people were looking for her. She was the strongest Omega on the earth and if anyone got her to fight for them, then that was it, the war was one.

But Isabella had no desire to fight, all the fight and life leaving her when she had lost James.

“This is the only town I can come to, you’re the only one I can trust right now besides the others but they are not safe unlike you. You’re the Shadow Chief, Charlie, and I need you to hide me. I don’t want to fight anymore; I don’t want to kill innocent mutants or even those who come for me. The other month was the last straw, I killed a child, he was no more than sixteen and someone had sent him to capture me. He snuck into my room and I was in a night terror, I woke to see myself plunge my claws into the child’s neck.” She croaks out, tears pooling over and down her cheeks.

She hated killing, hated the animalistic side of her when she was in a rage or even in a nightmare. It wasn’t here anymore, she wasn’t Siren Wolf anymore. James had tamed her beast, though he never knew this, he never even knew she was a mutant. She loved the man, but she knew he desired a human life so she gave him all but the truth of her powers.

“Jesus Isa, I knew people were after you but I didn’t think it had gotten that bad.” Charlie breathed out before collapsing back into the chair beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder for comfort. His chest ached for the pain his friend and mentor is going through, when he had met Isabella she had already lost her mate and her Siren Wolf days were long behind her.

He knew who she was though; he heard all about it when he had went to school when his powers had kicked in. To them she was a myth, a being that had long since passed and he ashamedly became afraid of her, treating her like the monster they made her out to be. She understood of cause, it hurt her to see him afraid of her and he tried to make up for it ever since.

Siren Wolf and Isabella were two complete beings, Siren Wolf being the one who would kill you on the spot if she so deemed or she would take the power you were born with and leave you human in a world full of war. Isabella was the woman who made his parents understand what he was, who had gotten them to love him once his mutant powers began and had helped them, help him overcome any trouble he had.

“Well, if you’re truly staying I should warn you, there is a coven of vampires in town and a pack of shifter wolves on the reservation.” He explains softly, chuckling as her eyes snap to his in disbelief.

“Are you joking, you’re not joking are you?” Isabella blurts out; thankful for something that will take her mind off of her worries. Vampires and shifter wolves? This was her hometown, she had helped build this from the ground up and now there were vampires and wolves on her home turf. “Of course you aren’t, what a better place for two different type of creatures to settle than the home of the mighty omega mutant.”

Charlie snorts at her groan as he makes his way over and pulls the beer from the fridge; he had stocked it when she had called to let him know she was staying. “Yes and you will be teaching the vampires. The ‘kids’ go to school to keep up with the whole backstory they got going while the leader is a doctor at the hospital. The Cullen’s are good people, vegetarians of their race though. I did a little investigating when they moved in. Oh, there will also be three mutants as well, beta level.”

With a groan Isa took the beer and finished it quickly before taking a look around her room, she had taken the basement when she had built the house, loving the fact that there were no windows and it was a place for her to move about freely or train and not bother Charlie.

Her night terrors were bad, waking up screaming or one of her powers activating and causing some fuss. Usually it was her – her mates – claws or something other.

“I should sleep; I have a long day tomorrow it seems.” She hums tiredly while scratching the back of her neck as she contemplated if she would sleep or not.

“Sleep, you look tired. If you need me, wake me up.” Charlie states softly, placing his hand on her shoulder carefully before making his way upstairs, leaving Bella alone to her thoughts.

With a deep sigh she quickly put all her clothes away and collapsed on her bed. She didn’t want to sleep, didn’t want to dream of seeing James die over and over again by his brothers hands or in any other way her nightmares conjured up. She also didn’t want to see the many faces she had snuffed from the earth, screaming over and over again. No matter what Isabella did, she could not run from her past.

Soon, her body made the choice for her and she found herself standing along on the empty plain once more, her eyes locked onto the body of her love lying still ripped to shreds. A second past before a scream tore from her lungs as she felt the pain blood within her, her chest ripping from the inside out as she pulled him to her.

All your fault… all your fault… YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU DID THIS TO HIM! TO ALL OF US! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! MONSTER!

Isabella woke up screaming, the house shuddering with the power behind the scream causing Charlie to rush from the kitchen downstairs. He had woken at five thirty to get ready for work, his mood light till he heard the screams.

“Isabella, wake up!” He yelled, staying out of arms reach like she always taught him when she got like this. When she didn’t wake he rushed to her side, hands grasping her shoulder and arm before he shook her, bracing himself for the blow to come and as expected it did. Her arm flung up, three claws aiming for his chest.

Before it could hit, her eyes snapped open, arm stopping mid swing as she sensed the power that was near her. Charlie, she could never hurt Charlie.

“Stop, it is fine. Before you ask, it’s now six in the morning and there is coffee on the counter. Go shower and what not, I’ll meet you upstairs, and then you can check me over.” Charlie chuckles before making his way back upstairs.

Isabella quickly showered and made her way upstairs, snorting as she stepped out of the door that was the closet. With a smile she turned and shut her door, mildly surprised to see that it blended in with the back wall, the trimming in the middle popped out to be the door handle.

“I love the door Charlie, when did you do that?” She states with a smile, stopping when he rushed out and placed a cool mug and an apple in her hands.

“I did it a while ago; I know you like your privacy and thought it to be a good idea. Now, drink and eat this and mosey on. I need to go to work, see you tonight Isa!” He called back over his shoulder and to the squad car.

Isa flickers her eyes towards the clock and practically inhaled the coffee as she saw that it was twenty to seven. She quickly gathered her things that she needed for today and rushed out to her car, eating her apple in four bites.

She knew where the high school was; after all she helped them build the original school when the town began to settle here. Plus, it was only a few blocks down from her house, well Charlie’s house. It took her two minutes to get there and to find a park, smirking as she saw all the boys’ heads turn her way as she made her way up to the office to gather her things and to find her class room. She was teaching Senior and Junior history, boy was that going to be fun.

“Hello, I’m Ms Swan-Howlett, the new History teacher.” She introduces as the lady behind the desk looked up.

“OH! Yes, Greg told me you would be here today, I organised someone to show you around the school for today, he’s the English teacher.” The woman spluttered out as she stood from the chair and rifled through the desk. “I’m Mrs Cope and… here is your schedule and itinerary, you can change what you want but the subjects must stay the same.”

“Oh, Ma Chère, this is a mighty fine surprise.” I turn around and let out a squeal, throwing my arms around Remy.

“Oh, this is wonderful, I take it you know one another?” Mrs Cope asks after she took in the scene, she was happy that the Mister LeBeau had a friend. He had been here for little under a year and everyone in town knew he stuck to himself.

“Yes, Mister LeBeau and I are old friends. I had no idea you were here Remy, I would have told you I was coming.” Isa replied happily. He had been her friend ever since the incident she had saved him from an incident long time ago, helping him escape from those that came after him with his involvement in The Mutant Massacre, helping him hide the child he had saved afterwards.

“It’s good to see you Cher, come I’ll show you to the room. We have much to discuss.” Remy states, pulling her from the office and towards where their classrooms were, it had been too long since he had seen Isabella.

The last time he saw her was a few years ago, it was a glance and he had thought his eyes were playing a trick but he had seen her and what he saw was not the Isabella he remembered. The woman he had remembered was spirited, strong and kind and the woman he saw was a hollow shell of what once was. But now, he can see she was much better, happier in a way but a deep hurt and loss clung to her.

“What do you know of this town, Cher?” He asks, his eyes flickering around to spot the Cullen children. He didn’t like them, well he liked the southern one, knew his face from somewhere but the others couldn’t be trusted.

Isa cast a look at her old friend and threw up an illusion around them, showing the world that they were talking about schedules and catching up before stopping and facing him.

“I know there are two mutants, level beta’s here, and that the Cullen’s are vampires and the men from the tribe shift. I know much about this town and I must say I regret building my home here. It seems no matter where I go, there is danger and it is my fault.” She admits, shocking her friend.

“Dis is your home? Mm, it naw Cher, it isn’t your fault. Come now, do not blame yourself, we have other things to worry about. Dem Cullen’s are wrong, all kinds of wrong but first whatchu say ‘bout telling me why you in dis rainy little town.” He drawled out, his accent thick as he remembered coming home one day and finding a Cullen leaving it.

Isabella sighed before pressing her hand to her friends head and showing him what happened, why she didn’t do this with Charlie, she wasn’t sure but when she pulled her hand away she took in the glowing red eyes of Gambit.

“You’re being hunted? Cher, why did you not seek me? I owe you a mighty big debt, I would have helped.” He stated, grasping her arm tightly as thoughts of her being hurt and tortured entered his mind.

“Shadow Chief? He is here in this town, how did I not know?” He asks spluttering causing Isa to laugh.

“He’s called Shadow Chief for a reason, Remy. But you would know him now as Charlie Swan.” She explains with an amused smirk. She had always found it hilarious that Charlie had the same last name as her, but then again she had come across many Swan’s in her life. Both family and not family and while she found this amusing, Charlie called it fate.

“Chief Swan!?” He wanted to say more but the bell had rung and it was time to teach, why he decided on English as a subject he would never fully understand.

“Ma Chère, your class is der. We shall continue talking afterwards.” He replies, gesturing to behind her before bowing and making his way into his room.

Isa turned, she could sense the vampires inside and as she glanced at her time table she groaned. She had juniors all morning until the afternoon when she had seniors. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside, the class growing silent instantly.

Her eyes scanned the room and found the two vampires at the back corner, near the windows. Their eyes were dark and she knew instantly there was something different and wrong about them.

“Hello class, I am your new teacher Ms Howlett. Today, I just want to get to know you all and about you. I know you had an assignment due tomorrow by your old teacher but I shall give you an extra week to finish it off.” She states, smirking as she saw a few of the students to sigh in relief.

Her eyes locked onto the vampires once more and resisted the frown as she saw the copper haired child’s eyes flicker to the other and frown.

I cannot see her Edward! This isn’t right, we’ve been keeping tabs on the mutants in this town and now I cannot see anyone! My gift is fizzing in and out, I can only see a few seconds a head now.

“Calm Alice, we will discuss this with Carlisle when we get home. I cannot hear her, much like I cannot hear the English teacher.”

Isa hummed before making her way towards the two. “Would you like to discuss to the class what is so important to speak while I am talking?”

The room went silent, all eyes on her and the two uncomfortable shocked vampires before her. If Remy did not trust the vampires then she wouldn’t either, maybe she could even mess with them a little. She knew there was something they did to cause Remy to dislike them; she could feel his anger as he mentioned them.

“N-no, sorry Miss.” The boy stuttered out.

“And your names are?” She asks, she knew they were Cullen’s but a name to go with the last and faces would be nice.

“Edward Cullen.” The boy gritted out before looking angrily at his sister.

“And you Miss?” She asks sharply when the girl did not answer; her eyes narrowed in anger but glazed over.

“Cullen, Alice Cullen.” She spat out before rubbing her temples.

“Well Miss and Mister Cullen, I would give you a detention but I’ll just give you a warning for now. Talk while I am talking again and I will give you afternoon detention.” She threatened before turning around and smirking as the whispers began.

“So I’ll call your name at random and I want you to stand up and tell me something about yourself.” Isa states as she pulled out the roll, her eyes scanning the page before looking back up again.

“Ben Cheney.”

Ben stood instantly, nervously as he glanced around the room and towards the new teacher. She was intimidating to say the least; he could sense something within her that screamed power. That and well he really hated public speaking.

“I… I uhm, I like computers. I like to pull them a part and put them back together again.” He stammered out, earning a few snickers from the others who quickly shut up when Ms Howlett’s dark eyes locked onto them.

“Is it just computers or all electronics?” She asks the young boy causing him to stammer some more, but none the less he answered all electronics before collapsing back in his seat, a blush across his face. She was sure now that he was one of the beta level mutants, probably lower class Cyberkinesis or Electrokinesis.

“You, what is your name.” She asks one of the boys chuckling flatly.

The boy stood up and winked at her, his chest puffing out a bit. “Well I’m Tyler Crowly, I like all things beautiful and miss, and you are beautiful.”

She could hear Remy laughing across the hall while she stood and sauntered her way towards her student. “Hm, Crowly much disrespect you have. I saw that you were one of the students who sagged in relief when I announced that the assignment was extended. This no longer applies for you, you have until tomorrow afternoon to hand in your essay or you fail. Now tuck in your shirt, pull up your pants and sit down.”

Tyler sat, his face tinting pink in embarrassment as he did what she asked instantly.

“Let this be a lesson to you all. I do not like to be disrespected; I do not like it when you disrespect your class mates. I will give you a detention if I must or send a letter home to your parents like I would do for a kindergartner who has been naughty. Now, who is next, ah… Abigail Grahm.”

The rest of the day passed in a blur and soon she found herself exhausted and waiting for Remy to join her outside. She hadn’t met any other of the Cullen’s as they had left school as lunch started.

“Ma Chère, sorry I was delayed. Come, I walked here you can give me a ride.” Remy chuckles out as he hoped into her car with a wide smile. “I see the Cullen’s have left, you must have done something.”

Snorting, Isabella hopped in the car and turned towards her friend, a wide grin on her face.

“That smile says make the misere. Tell me what it is you are planning, cher.” Remy asks with wide excited eyes, his hand going into his coat and pulling out his deck of cards. “Will I get to use these?”

With a laugh Isabella put her car into gear and drove towards her home, she had to make it seem she was there or her plan would fail if someone caught them. No one would of course, vampire gift’s didn’t work around her and she had a nifty little talent to turn her or anyone and thing invisible.

“Tell me Remy, what did the Cullen’s do piss you off and I may tell you.” She asks as she pulls into the drive.

Remy frowned before grunting, “I had heard the copper haired bioque that he could not hear me. The family grew nervous and when I had come home one night from Port Angeles, I had seen them running from my home. They had invaded ma home and looked through my belongings. Luckily, I hid all my tools and outfits in a secret hiding spot so they only suspect me to be a gifted human.” He spat out, flinching when he saw Isa’s eyes flare red.

“Insolent… I saw we go and have a little fun Gambit, blow some things up, cause a little mischief.” She states before grasping his arm and teleporting them near the house. She had instantly placed a shield around them and covered them using Charlie’s gift.

She could make them invisible but Charlie’s gift does just as well, he can hide you from powers from being detected. You name it he could do it, yet he couldn’t hide you forever and that was why he was only an Alpha Mutant.

“Mon dieu!” Remy exclaimed, his body jerky to a sudden stop just inside the tree line of the Cullen home. “You couldn’t do that last time, cher! How?” He asks shocked.

He knew that Isabella was powerful, a high Alpha Mutant but that, she had never been able to do that. He knew that she could create illusions, perhaps another telepath but he had never seen a telepath do that.

“I’ll explain later, now let us go have some fun shall we. We’re safe and shadowed from them, so let’s blow some things up and eavesdrop.” Isa states with a wicked grin as she struts calmly and confidently out into the open towards the Cullen home.

With a shrug he followed after her and right through the open back door. He waited for the signal, his fingers sparking and itching to make something explode. It had been a while since he had used them for anything but practice, he was growing anxious.

“Carlisle, the new teacher is dangerous! She heard me speak to Alice and I was speaking at a speed she should not have heard!” Edward ranted furiously towards his father, his eyes flickering to Alice.

“I cannot see her either; I get pains when I try. I can only see a few seconds a head!” Alice seethed furiously as she rubbed her temples.

“Jasper?” Isabella murmurs surprised as her eyes landed on the war veteran. She had met Jasper after he escaped from the wars down south, he was an honourable man, and what was he doing here?

“Go, little explosions on little things first.” Isa states to Remy as she was the pink sparks, smiling as he bowed and gave her a little smirk before dashing off into the house.

“Could she be a mutant? Maybe we can capture her and take her to the Volturi some way. Perhaps we could befriend her and manipulate her that way.” Carlisle hums, his eyes scanning his children. He was told to come to forks to keep an eye out for Mutants and an eye on the Shifters. Small towns were good for taking Mutants, it didn’t matter if they were lower status or not, they made gifted vampires when changed.

“Possibly, maybe enhanced senses…” Esme replies as she thinks over what her son had said.

“Then we shall befriend her,” Carlisle states his eyes staying on Jasper. “I take it you won’t cooperate.”

Isabella watched as Jasper sneered towards the coven leader. “No, I was a mutant you know, I still believe in protecting them but I cannot risk my brother and his mate. I have no choice but to follow your orders.” Jasper grits out, his hands cracking the arms of the chair. He had suffered through the tortures of his fellow mutants, had stood in the shadows as they screamed for help while the Volturi dragged them away.

Rage filled Isabella and she moved, her eyes scanning the walls and landing on the wooden cross in the hallway. She knew it was old, it was well maintained and it was the only object on the wall, a place of honour.

With a smirk she ran her hand across the coarse wood, watching with glee as a ripple of pink flared across the wood. She moved away quickly, smirking as it cracked and fell to the floor causing all the Cullen’s to rush towards the sound.

Her grin grew as he saw the look of anguish and rage on the leaders face before morphing into shock as other little things in the house began to explode. She couldn’t help but laugh as Remy came back in with a wide grin and covered in plaster before the screams of the Cullen’s tore through the house.

“Come on, we must leave.” She giggles out before grasping his arm and teleporting them back to her room. When they were finally safe, she dropped the shield and burst out into deep laughter.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Gambit flopped down onto the two seater and began to shuffle his cards. “How did you do that?” he asks, asking about her being able to teleport, to shadow them and last of all… how could she do what he could do. He saw her crack the cross; saw his power flow from her hand and onto the object.

Sighing Isabella sat down and prepared for what was to come. “Remy, my friend, please if I tell you… you must keep it to yourself. There are many people looking for me and if they knew that you knew who I truly am… I am also terrified you will be scared of me, my legend is not a pretty one…” She begins, gone was the playfulness and in its place was the sad seriousness that Remy had only seen a few times.

“Mes amie, I owe you much. You had saved my life and the life of Sarah, I could never be afraid of you. We all have dark pasts; you know mine now share your burden like I did with you.” He states softly, sitting up. He felt horrible for the weight he now saw her carry, a weight he had too felt.

After a long moment Isabella whispers. “Do you know of Siren Wolf?”

“Yes, I know of Siren Wolf…” He states slowly, his eyes flickering red at the thought of the mutant. He had heard how powerful and dangerous Siren Wolf was, no one knew exactly what her powers were but they frightened many. Suddenly it dawned on him as he stared at the woman before him, the woman who was staring at him with fear in her eyes and the very woman who he considered family.

“Mon dieu.” He breathed. “You are Siren Wolf… How… What?”

“I am a sponge Remy; I can take and copy the powers of mutants I have crossed paths with. That is why I can teleport, that is why I can do what you do and why I am being hunted. I am an Omega, the most powerful Omega there is.” Isa whispers softly, looking away from her friend. “I was a monster when I was younger; it was how I got my name. I drew them in and then I would take them out. For many years I was like this.”

“What changed?” He asks, watching as her face shifted from sadness to tenderness and then finally into a deep heart wrenching emptiness. He could see the look, he could feel her pain.

“I fell in love.” She chuckles flatly, her eyes flickering to the walls around her and to the photo album that held her wedding picture.

“But he died, he… They found me and killed him, so much blood. His name was James Howlett, he was my husband.” She whispers pained, pulling the album from the shelf and handing it to Remy.

He took the album carefully, flipping it open to the first page and nearly burst out into shock at the man he saw smiling back into the image. It couldn’t be, the man who he had helped many years ago, the man who he knew resided at Xavier’s School for Gifted Children.

“I know this man.” He whispered, looking up in time to see his friend whirl around with furious glowing red eyes. “He goes by Logan, he is named Wolverine. Cher, I know this man, he is my friend.”